A Williams FW07 Formula One car is on track to sell
for more than $1 million when bidding closes in an online auction. Listed by
Race Cars Direct, this Williams was driven to the top step of the podium by
Alan Jones at the 1979 Dutch Grand Prix. Throughout the rest of the 1979
season, it competed in seven additional races at the hands of Jones and Clay
Regazzoni. The following year, it raced at the Aurora AFX British F1
Championship and claimed four pole positions and three race wins.
The FW07 holds a special place in Williams’ racing
history, as it was the outfit’s first vehicle to use ground effects that were
just introduced in F1 by Lotus. The car was applauded for being extremely small
and light, tipping the scales at just 579 kg in 1979 trim and ultimately
dropping to just 540 kg for the 1981 and 1982 seasons.
The auction house says that, after its successful
racing career, this particular FW07 underwent a comprehensive restoration that
took more than 1,000 man hours to complete. The restoration saw many original
parts fitted, and when those weren’t available, high-quality replacement items
were used instead.
To ensure the racer runs perfectly, the engine and
gearbox have been rebuilt by specialists at Geoff Richardson Engineering and
BPA Engineering. At the time of writing, the highest bid was £ 675,000
(US$ 940,000), but the auction closes on March 31, so that number could very well
go up.
